Almost two thousand Hungarian suicides in one year

The number of suicides has decreased, but still many people end their lives, mno.hu reports. According to newest data, in 2016, 1317 men and 446 women died for this reason, as Magyar Nemzet stated.

Interestingly, according to data from the Central Statistics Office (KSH), since 1997, there were almost always three times as many male suicides as female. A great diversity can be seen in the chosen methods. In 2016, 857 males hung themselves, while most of the female suicides died of poisoning. Among the ways, jumping off a high point, shotguns, using cutting-tools, and electric shock could be found.

Sexes also differ regarding civil status.

While almost 500 of men committing suicide were married, most of the women suicides were widows.

Unmarried women and widowers are the less involved. It is especially alarming that between the ages of 15 and 19, eighteen boys and six girls ended their own lives, and one boy under 14 committed suicide. Youth suicide is a problem worldwide. As we have heard, 25-30% of patients arriving at Heim Pál Children’s Hospital at one weekend because of a suicide attempt.

Gyula Sófi, head physician at the psychiatry department of Heim Pál Children’s Hospital, and forensic child psychiatrist told us earlier that

suicide tendencies are heritable,

meaning, while different behavioural patterns are acquired during socialisation, suicide tendencies can be passed through genes. The reasons for youth suicide can be the decomposition of families, conflicts within the family, problems regarding the way of living and disputes with other young ones.

Last year, the exposure of online groups encouraging suicide in Kazakhstan and Ukraine stirred up a storm in the topic, but this danger may be threatening Hungarian young adults, too. As it has turned out, dozens of children ended their lives because of the websites. In Kazakhstan, more than a hundred cases relating to the popularisation of suicide were revealed by the police.

A study published in 2016 by the World Health Organization informs that Hungary is not in clover regarding the number of suicides.

According to WHO, In Europe, only Lithuania’s numbers are worse than Hungary’s.

Greece, Italy, and Albania did well in their statistics, but in Spain and Great-Britain, the number of suicides per a hundred thousand inhabitants is under 9. In Hungary, in 2012 this rate was 25. Specialists have been voicing for decades that there is no right national strategy for decreasing the number of suicides.

Pál Lehóczky psychiatrist, former president of the Hungarian Psychiatric Association, noted in connection with this:

since 1989, the rate of suicide has been halved,

but still, there is not a national programme serving the protection of mental hygiene and psychical health, although WHO also promoted its establishment and gave suggestions on the topic.

The rate of depressed people is high among those committing suicide, so treating those with such conditions is essential, also as prevention. At the same time, more than 50% of those suffering from mental problems do not get to the right place, and therefore will not be treated on time.

Source: mno.hu/